
Nevada City’s gold lies not only in it’s wonderful history, the gold ore still hidden beneath the ground, or the storied lives of its citizens. Today’s gold is found in Nevada City real estate. A quick look at Realtor.com or Zillow will reveal the wealth accumulated within home values in Nevada City. We knew it would happen. We have been watching home sales prices creep up over the years, but now they are soaring with the influx of retirees from Sacramento and the Bay area, and those who are able to telecommute from home. People have always been drawn to Nevada City, and now those who want to buy here have to really fork it out.
Take, for instance, a home currently for sale at 300 South Pine Street. The asking price is close to a million, and by all means and comparisons, that seems a fair asking price for a triplex these days. It is in an excellent location – above the singing waters of Deer Creek, and nestled quietly next to the bridge, putting the possibility of a quick foray to downtown Nevada City right at the fingertips of those who live at said address.
It is hard to believe that in 1975 the home was offered for sale to my mother for $18,000! It was offered to my mother by my great aunt, who lived next door and owned both homes. She told my mother that the house needed some work. At the time my mother was not interested in the responsibilities of acquiring an old home that needed money put into it, and to deal with all that is entailed in renting a triplex out to tenants while living a distance away, in Sacramento. Shortly after, my great aunt died, and the house was left to someone else. Wait until I mention to my mother what Annie’s house is selling for today. Oh dear…..
The home at 300 S. Pine St. was familiarly referred to by family as Annie’s house. Annie Hall Tremaine Sherman was born in Bury, Lancashire, England in 1865. She moved to Nevada City with her family in 1880, and married Robert Bennett Tremaine, a native of Cornwall, in 1887. Robert’s father, Richard Tremaine, had the house built for his son and daughter-in-law as a wedding gift. Robert died in 1914, and in 1921 Annie married E. H. Sherman. Annie lived the majority of her life in the house at 300 S. Pine St., until she passed away in 1956. Following Annie’s death, my great aunt inherited the home and soon had it chopped up and made into three rental units, as the house stands today.
I recall as a child, spending time on the lawn in front of that house. At the time, looking in the direction across Deer Creek and Tribulation Trail, one had an unobstructed view of downtown Nevada City, in its entirety. The view is long gone, obstructed by forest and vines, but the green landscape now lends a magical feel to the property, and the walkway known as Tribulation Trail.
I have always liked Annie’s house. There is something appealing about it; the location, the hidden public stairs that sweep past it, the modest Victorian decoration, stone walls, the covered porch embellishing her front upper story. I remember her awash in solid white paint, prominently sitting on her corner pedestal with Nevada City laid out before her. Annie’s house of gold – a gift to us from the 19th century, built in Nevada City during the first 40 years of gold mining, and representative of Nevada City’s precious real estate.
(Click here to view property photos on current real estate listing:
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